THe Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall
by FaolansVehngeance
Summary: Ana has no memory of her past life or why she is in Conan's world. All she knows is that she is an expert fighter, a book reader, and that her name is Ana. When she stumbles upon Conan and a small group of thieves, she is taken on an adventure full of danger, love, lust, and betrayal.
1. Chapter 1

Ana woke up to being very hot and very sticky. She opened her eyes and found herself lying on top of a boulder in the middle of a desert and baking in the sun. She had no idea how she got here, or where here even was. All she could remember was sitting down in her favorite chair after her training to read a Conan the Barbarian book and then everything went black. She couldn't remember her last name, or her age, or her family. All she knew was that her name was Ana, she was an expert fighter, and that she was a huge fan of Conan the Barbarian. She got up, sliding down from the rock with aching bones and muscles. She looked herself over and found that she was wearing faded skinny jeans, a baggy t-shirt that fell off one shoulder, and black combat boots. Her hair was a mess, but that seemed like it was the usual. She ran her hands over her jeans and found that her pockets were empty. With a great sigh, she looked around herself and noticed that there was a large mountain range at least a good four miles to the northeast of where she was. She started off for the mountains, hoping to find some sort of trade route that would lead her to civilization.

Ana couldn't remember how many days or weeks she spent walking, but she had finally reached the mountains, but not without a cost, she was dehydrated, starving, and about to collapse from the lack of energy and nutrition. She had started to climb hours ago and nearly fell to her knees and kissed the ground when she found a well-worn path that cut through the mountains. And when she studied it more closely, she found fresh horse prints in the sand that had blown up into the jagged mountains. She walked on, careful of where she placed her feet, not wanting to fall for she knew that if she didn't she probably wouldn't get back up.

Half a day had passed before she finally saw some human life. There were six horses just standing off to the side on the path, and six men were resting on the hard stones and talked amongst themselves. One of the men caught her eye. He was taller, broader, and more battle worn than the rest of the men. Yet he looked young and not much older than her. She paused and just watched them, taking in every asset that they had and their build. The other five men were leaner and smaller than the big man, but they were also older. She shuffled toward them, just going to pass by them and ask for directions to the nearest city or town, but when she reached the first horse, the big man took notice of her and came to his feet and drew his sword. Ana stopped walking and just stared at him, too tired to fight.

"How far to the nearest city?" she croaked, her voice nearly gone and her lips starting to bleed from being chapped so badly.

The big man lowered his sword and eyed her warily. She felt her body sway slightly and steadied herself on a big boulder, not wanting to seem weak, even though she really was.

"Who are you?" the big man demanded.

"My… name… is…"

Ana didn't get to finish her answer for she fell to a dizzy spell and collapsed onto the path. She just laid there as she watched the big man rush to her side and gently pick her up. She felt her body go limp and then her whole world went black.

Ana woke to her throat burning and her head pounding. She moaned softly, shifting her body to try and get more comfortable. Large hands suddenly came to rest at her cheek and forehead. She cracked her eyes open and was staring into the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen. They were like pure sapphires, sparkling like stars. She smiled weakly and then closed her eyes again, too tired to hold them open.

"She's awake!" came the big man's deep voice from just above her.

She could hear several pairs of feet running toward her and she opened her eyes weakly again. This time, she was staring up at five more pairs of dark eyes. She smiled at them too and then closed her eyes again. She was just so tired.

"Get the water skin! She needs to drink," the big man said, gently pulling her into a sitting position.

Ana cracked her eyes open again and tried to lift her head to look around, but her neck wouldn't budge. She watched as the big man pulled the cork out of a water skin with his teeth and then positioned her head so that she could drink. The instant the cool water touched her lips, she lurched upright and chugged the water down as fast as she could. It felt so good and she wanted more. But the big man took the water skin from her before she could drink it all. She whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut.

"She must have been wandering this desert for weeks. Look at how filthy she is. But why would a woman be all the way out here?" asked one of the other men. "What do you think, Conan?"

Ana tensed at hearing Conan's name. She opened her eyes and looked up at the big man. He had the eyes, the black hair, the impressive build, the youth. Her whole body started to tremble from excitement, she was being held by Conan, THE CONAN.

"I have no idea as to why she would be all the way out here, but she poses no threat to us. She is too weak to even hold herself up. She'll have to come with us," Conan stated, gently laying her back down onto a thick fur pelt that she had woken on.

She whimpered again and reached for Conan, not wanting to lie down. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. He looked down at her and took one of her hands to offer comfort, she half growled, half coughed and pulled herself upright. Her arms trembled from the effort, but she wasn't about to be labeled weak.

"Can't…breathe…lying…down…" she panted, releasing Conan's hand to place it on the ground to hold herself upright.

The men gasped at her effort to move, but Conan was the only one who seemed unsurprised by it. She took a few minutes to catch her breath before struggling to get up onto her feet. Even if she had met Conan, and had him hold her, she wasn't going to be free loader. It just didn't seem that it was like her to take from people and not pay them back. She took three steps before Conan growled and picked her up.

"Put…me down…" she panted, weakly struggling to get out of his arms.

"You are too weak to be up and moving. Rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," he growled, walking back to the fur.

"I won't…be just…some deadweight…I will…walk to…nearest…city…"she panted, angry that her body was defying her brain's orders to move.

"You won't be walking anywhere as long as you are in this condition. Either you rest of your own free will, or I will force you," Conan snapped, setting her on the fur.

Ana pouted and panted heavily. She really didn't want to lie down. It was hard enough to breathe sitting up, let alone on her back. When Conan forced her to lie down, she moaned in pain and started to pant quickly and shallowly.

"C-can't…breathe…" she mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut.

Conan sighed heavily in irritation and pulled her upright. She gasped as air filled her lings and she clutched at her chest to try and make the pain subside. Conan eased behind her and leaned against the boulder and then pulled her between his legs and then forced her to lean against him. She stilled once she found a comfortable position and closed her eyes. She started to doze off when she heard one of the men approach them. She feigned sleep and listened to the men converse.

"Conan, she does not look like she is from here. Look at her garments. They are unusual. Perhaps she is a witch. We should just leave her," came a snake like voice.

Conan stiffened and she moaned softly. Both men stilled and waited. When she didn't make another sound, Conan replied.

"She stays with me. She has a bigger backbone to go against me than any of you. Not to mention the fact that she is a helpless woman in need of help and protection. We can find out who she is and what she is once she is healthy," Conan snarled angrily, one of his arms wrapping around her waist protectively.

Ana felt pride well up in her that he thought her brave to go against him. But she didn't know how she got here, her last name, her family, or even her own age. She had no memories besides the one of her sitting in a chair to read a book. But then there was nothing. She sighed in content and Conan wrapped his other arm around her frail form and leaned his head on top of hers. Ana had the tiniest of smiles on her dirt streaked face as she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Ana woke to Conan picking her up. She moaned and buried her face in his chest to try and go back to sleep, but he chuckled and placed her atop his horse. Ana lurched upright and panicked when she felt off balance.

"Relax, just hang onto the saddle," he laughed, mounting behind her.

Once his arms had formed a cage around her and his hands took hold of the reins Ana relaxed slightly and removed her hands from the saddle to latch onto his bare thighs. He grunted and shifted behind her. She clung to his knees when he kicked the horse into a trot and was forced to lean back against his chest. They traveled down the path at a slow pace, but one that let Ana get more sleep.

Ana woke to Conan shaking her gently. She moaned and sat up, looking around sleepily. Conan dismounted and then pulled her from the horse. She let him carry her to a sandy dune that was in the corner of a cleft that was overlooking a steep cliff. She sighed in content when she was left to sleep some more and shivered once Conan's warmth left her.

"Asleep again? I swear she has had more sleep in the past day that she should be full of energy," one of the men chuckled, placing a thick cloak over her shivering form. She heard Conan return to her and cracked her eyes open when he gently lifted her head with a hand and placed a rolled up pelt under her head and neck.

She smiled up at him and rolled onto her side and curled her legs inward to keep her warmth close. Her eyes slid closed and sleep took her once more.

Ana woke late at night. She felt that she wasn't alone and when she opened her eyes, she stiffened in surprise. Conan was curled up to her and cradling her like she was made of spun glass. One of his massive legs was draped over both of hers, his arms wrapped around her, and his chin resting against the top of her head. She smiled and snuggled up to him, placing her freezing cold hands on his chest. He shivered and lurched awake, making Ana stiffen. She just laid there, trying to get warm.

"Your hands are freezing, woman," Conan whispered, unwrapping himself from her.

She merely nodded and blew lightly on her fingertips. Conan rolled over and she let a saddened expression come to her face and curled up on herself. Of course he doesn't want her to put her cold hands on him, what had she been thinking. She felt tears well up in her eyes and she fought valiantly to keep them from falling. Conan rolled back over and paused when he saw her teary eyed and curled up on herself.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she mumbled, rolling over so that he couldn't see her tears fall.

"Hey, don't cry. It's fine. Here, wear these, they should keep your fingers warm," he said sternly, rolling her back over so that he could look at her.

He gently placed fur lined gloves over her hands and then pulled the cloak tighter around her.

"Warm enough?" he asked, looking down at her.

She nodded, her gaze downcast. She just stared at the gloves that were way too big for her tiny hands. She giggled at the silliness of the sight and looked up at him with a bright smile.

"I look ridiculous in these things," she giggled softly, holding up her hands so that he could see.

"But they are warmer, are they not?" he chuckled, taking her hands in his.

Ana giggled and nodded and pulled herself closer to him. He chuckled again and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his heat. Ana fell asleep in the arms of her hero, unaware that danger was lurking nearby.

Ana was suddenly woken when she was hoisted away from Conan and held captive by her long red-blond hair. She screamed in pain and the whole camp was woken by the sound. Conan had his sword drawn and at the ready the instant he heard her cry of pain. He growled angrily and came to his feet. Ana struggled to get away, but another man kicked her side with enough force to break at least one rib. She gasped in pain and glared up at the man who had kicked her. She had gotten enough sleep to refill her energy level and remembered all her training and fighting skills. She twisted the wrist of the man who held her hair and smirked when he screamed in pain at his wrist being broken. Once Ana was free, she kicked the feet out from under the man who had kicked her and proceeded to land a solid kick to his groin. The man couldn't make a sound and she scooted on her butt out of the way when the man she had broken his wrist came after her. She pushed herself to her feet and took a defensive stance for a solid kick. The man came after her with sword drawn and raised and she spotted an opening. She took it and round house kicked him in the head, making him fall over the side of the cliff. Ana stood tall and proudly at her handy work and turned to smile at Conan, but screamed when a hand latched onto her ankle and dragged her over the edge of the cliff. She hit the ground hard and scrambled to grab anything that would prevent her from falling. There was nothing but sand she let out a blood curdling scream as she felt the ledge slip from her fingers and started to fall. She saw Conan slide to the edge and grab onto her outstretched wrist before she fell more than three feet. She saw the other man's body being pushed off the cliff a good ten feet from where she was and looked up at Conan with fear in her eyes.

"Conan, I'm scared," she whimpered, staring deep into his eyes.

"Look only at me. Look only at me, hold onto me," he chanted, reaching for her upper arm with his free hand.

"Conan, I don't want to die," she mumbled, tears coming to her eyes.

"You are not going to die, I swear it," he growled, his free hand latching onto her upper arm and started to pull her up.

She felt the man that grabbed her start to climb up her leg and she tried to grab onto Conan with her other hand.

"Conan, please! I can't hold on much longer!" she nearly screamed, feeling her hand start to slide in his.

"I won't let you go. I will save you," he growled, pulling harder to get her onto solid ground again.

She heard the other men start to pull on Conan's body and she and the man who was latched onto her were pulled up onto the ground. Conan kicked the assailant in the face, making him release her and slide back over the edge of the cliff. Ana clung to Conan for dear life and bawled into his chest. Her whole body shook from fear and his strong arms wrapped around her protectively.

"Is she alright?"

"Is she hurt?"

"What happened?"

The men had gathered around them and Ana looked up to pull them all into the hug. They had fought to get her back, and for that she was in their debt. All the men formed a protective barrier around her and Conan, making her relax slightly. Conan shooed the other men away when her crying had subsided into hiccups and sniffles.

"See, I told you that I would save you," Conan whispered, smoothing out her hair.

Ana pulled away to look him in the face and felt tears slide down her cheeks again. She suddenly kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck, still too frightened to let go. Conan seemed surprised at first, but quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around her, his lips taking control of the kiss. She cradled his face in her still trembling hands and pulled away to look into her savior's eyes.

"Thank you, Conan, for keeping your promise," she whispered, staring deep into his blue eyes.

"You're welcome," he whispered back.

The other men cleared their throats and Ana blushed a bright shade of red and buried her face in Conan's shoulder to hide her face. They all laughed heartily and Conan chuckled. She pulled away and stayed far away from the edge of the cliff, earning sympathetic looks from all the men. Conan followed her back to the sand dune and helped her to gather the pelt, cloak and gloves that she had been using before the whole ordeal happened. Conan gently took the cloak from her and placed it around her shoulders and fastened the brooch just below her chin.

"Get the horses ready. We ride for Shadizar!" Conan shouted, picking up his small pack and heading for his horse.

Three days of riding, and freezing cold nights, the group finally arrived at Shadizar. Ana had gotten to know all of the men individually when Conan went out hunting. Three of the five were thieves that owed Conan their lives, and one was an archer that abandoned an army, and the fourth was just some rogue that had yet to prove he was trust worthy to Conan. The men all accepted Ana into the group readily, and asked her questions about her past and the fighting skills that she had displayed back at the cliff. She answered to her best ability and was respected for trying to answer honestly. She had told Conan and the men of her situation and they all thought it odd, but agreed to try and help her back to her world. Conan had grown slightly more distant in the span of three days, and when she asked one of the men about it, they had said that he had gone too long without a woman. Ana had blushed a bright shade of red and had tried to give Conan his space. Which only seemed to irritate him more. Once inside the city, Conan and the group went straight to a tavern that he used quite regularly and gotten a room and a harlot. He had disappeared for eight hours and left Ana to fend for herself. The men of the group had taken care of her though, and even took her out to get new clothes and a good wash. But they didn't expect her to go for the leather and armor instead of soft silks and fine cloths. She told them that she had no reason to, and they had accepted that. But they did convince her to let them buy her soft cotton tunics that came to her mid-thigh for sleeping. She kept her combat boots, but had to trash the t-shirt. Her jeans were packed away in a small bag that they had given her along with the tunics. They had returned to the tavern laughing and cracking jokes, but froze when they came face to face with an enraged Conan.

"Where have you all been?" he demanded angrily.

"We went to get Ana new clothes and a bath," said Thebious, the archer.

The other men knocked him in the back of the head, a common occurrence due to the man's stupidity for words. Ana stepped forward and plunked her hands on her leather-clad hips.

"You have no right to demand where we were. You were holed up in that room of yours with that harlot and didn't even bother to buy me food or even give me directions around the city. You just disappeared, leaving me to fend for myself. These good men actually took care of me, unlike you. I can understand the need for a woman, but you could have at least told me how to get some food and bath for Pete's sake!" Ana shouted at him, her glare harsh enough to make Conan take a step back.

"I…but….they-"

"I don't want to hear it. Not from you. Did you even bother to get me a room?" she snapped, poking him hard in the center of his chest.

Conan just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"You didn't, did you? Unbelievable! I don't even know why I bothered to ask!" she shouted angrily, turning on her heel and headed back out into the streets.

The men scattered like there was gunfire and disappeared into their rooms as Ana kicked the door to the tavern shut. If he wasn't going to take care of her, then it was up to herself. She could remember living by herself, working till she dropped to pay for her home. Ana disappeared into the crowd heading for the center of the city. If Conan wasn't going to come after her, then she could find a way back home by herself.

Conan searched the streets frantically, asked every one he came across if they had seen Ana. They had all shaken their heads and went on their way, making Conan worry. His men helped him, but gave him the cold shoulder when he tried to talk to them. They obviously didn't approve of his behavior either. Conan sighed heavily and his broad shoulders slumped in defeat.

"We'll find her Conan. There are no women like her in this city," said Kurzon, a master thief.

"How do you know?" Conan asked, feeling defeated.

He had driven her away from him, and now she was wandering the streets, in harm's way and all alone.

"Because I'm looking at her right now," Kurzon said, a happy smirk on his face.

Conan's head shot up and he looked in the direction of where Kurzon was pointing, and sure enough, Ana was talking to a cloth maker, holding a bright red bundle of fabric. He watched as she pulled out the proper amount of coins and paid the woman with a smile on her face. She turned to leave and froze when her eyes met Conan's. The gentle look in her eyes vanished faster than a rat in light, and she stuffed the red cloth into her small bag. Conan straightened his back as she approached, not wanting to seem like he had been depressed just moments before.

"What is a rat like you doing here?" she snapped, looking him straight in the eyes.

"I'm here to apologize. I was careless and didn't think through my actions. Please forgive me," Conan gritted out, his whole body tense.

"Apology accepted, but you'll have to earn my trust. I can't afford to be betrayed, I need to get home," she snapped, brushing past him to greet the other men warmly.

Conan trailed behind the group as they headed back to the tavern they had stayed the night in. The men and Ana conversed happily, cracking jokes and being merry. Kurzon trailed behind to walk beside Conan, a playful smirk on his lips.

"You know, she would trust you more if you actually interacted with her, not just trail behind us like a dog," he said, giving Conan a gentle nudge forward.

"I know, but I just don't know how to. She is the first woman to stand up to me like that. I have no idea what to do," Conan growled, looking over at his friend.

"Mayhap you two should spend some time alone together. Get to know her like we did. She'll be more willing to be around you if you give the effort," Kurzon stated simply. Quickening his pace to catch up to the rest of the gang, leaving Conan to mill over the information that was given to him.

He was going to have to start over, and that was something that he had never done before. The group entered the tavern and seated themselves in the far corner and the men bought Ana a hearty meal and a tankard of water. When Conan tried to sit a ways away from Ana, the men took up to chairs so that he would have to sit right next to her. He sighed and claimed his seat, not wanting to face her at the moment. She was unlike any woman he had ever met. She was hard, yet soft on the inside. Brave, yet could get scared, and fought better than most men. Conan avoided all chit chat and just glared at the front door, wishing he was in his room with a woman, not sitting at a table full of drunk thieves and a woman who nearly crippled his pride right in front of the entire tavern. One by one, his men went up to their rooms and left Ana and Conan together. They sat in silence for several minutes, neither of them looking at the other.

"Conan?" asked Ana, her voice soft and gentle.

"What?" he growled, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Sorry for yelling at you. It was rude of me to do so. I was just hurt that you had ignored me and then demanded where I was. I thought you had wanted my company, but I guess I was wrong," she said, her voice emotionless.

Conan growled angrily at himself. Of course she would feel that way. He had given her affection just four days prior, and then he went a left her alone for three whole days, he should have known that it was coming. He turned in his seat and froze at the sight that greeted him. Ana was staring blankly at the table, tears building behind her lashes. It was obvious that she was tired and worn out. She needed rest, but the tavern owner had said that there were no more rooms for the night, which meant that they would end up sharing a room.

"Ana, you look tired. Why don't we just go to bed?" Conan stated quietly, rising from his chair.

Ana nodded and stood, then followed him up the stairs and to Conan's private suite that was reserved only for him. But with Ana along, he knew that she could use a decent night's rest in an actual bed. She shuffled into the room, not even bothering to look up, and went straight for a chair and sat down. Conan shut and locked the door, not wanting any thieves to sneak in while he was resting.

"You take the bed, you need it more than I do," he stated, coming to stand in front of her.

Ana shook her head and bent to take off her combat boots. Once her bare feet were free from the leather shoes, she groaned in pleasure, which made Conan's gut twist painfully. He wanted to be the source of that kind of groan. He wanted to bring her pleasure, but he knew that she had not felt a man's touch; she was too trusting of men. Conan waited until she was stripped of her boots and leather armor before hoisting her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and stormed over to the large bed that could hold three people. He tossed her onto the mattress and smirked in victory when she sighed in content and was out the instant she closed her eyes. She must have been exhausted to fall asleep that fast. Conan pulled off his own boots and tunic, then placed his broadsword and belt on the floor right next to the bed so that if he needed to reach it, he could. He laid down next to Ana, one arm under his head, the other draped over his stomach, and he closed his eyes to get some sleep.

Conan woke just before dawn, the city silent and still. He opened his eyes and froze in place when Ana's red-gold hair filled his view. He registered her light weight on top of him, her head resting just below his collarbones, and her hips flush against his. Conan didn't dare move, if she woke and found herself draped over him, she would murder him on false accusations. She didn't seem like the woman to take any form of jesting lightly. Conan glanced at the door and noticed that it was flung wide open, the lock broken and blood splatters on the doorframe. Conan's gut twisted at the thought of Ana fighting whoever tried to get in. He looked down at her head again and noticed that her hair was redder than it had been before. Dread filled his chest and he shot upright. Ana didn't move or make a sound, just slid down his front, her lower back drenched in blood and a small dagger protruding from her side. Conan let out a loud and long roar and cradled her in his arms. She was hardly breathing and she made no response to him. The group of men ran in and gathered around the bed that Conan was in, their faces filled with horror and sorrow.

"Find who did this, and bring him here alive," Conan snarled his glare and feral tones making his men scurry out of the room to do his bidding.

Conan just held her carefully, his rage simmering dangerously just beneath his skin. He let out a deep rumbling growl, but froze when Ana reached up and touched his face with a blood stained hand.

"Stop…doing…that. You'll…get wrinkles…" she wheezed, a weak smile on her lovely face.

Conan just stared down at her in awe and tried to find words to say.

"What happened last night?" he growled, brushing her bangs out of her face gently.

"Some thief… broke in and….tried to…kill you. I… stopped him…but he…got me good," she half wheezed, half coughed.

"Why did you take the blow meant for me?" Conan asked, clearly confused.

"Because you… said you were…sorry and cared for…me," she mumbled, her eyes slowly closing and her body going limp once more.

"Ana? Can you hear me?" Conan nearly yelled, turning her face so that he could see her clearly.

"Quit…shouting…trying to sleep," she mumbled, weakly swatting his chest.

Conan actually laughed at her ridiculous personality and felt tears come to his eyes. Even if she was near death, she would be snippy and her usual self. Conan gently pulled her into a sitting position and looked around the room. She needed to have the dagger removed so that the wound could be bandaged and cared for properly.

"Ana, I'll be right back. Try to get some rest," Conan said, laying her on her good side and slipping from the room.

Ana woke with a full body spasm as intense pain wracked her body. She felt the dagger leave her body, but that wasn't the best part. Her wound was so dry and aired out that she didn't bleed as much as she should have. She let out a scream once she could breathe again and her hands latched onto someone's shirt. She pulled with all her might and felt the person topple onto the bed next to her, and she knew it wasn't Conan for he was too small to be the big northsman.

"For her injury, she is still really strong," came Kurzon's voice.

"Get…me…something…to bite…" she wheezed, releasing Kurzon.

Her eyes were squeezed shut and she gripped the bed sheets tightly. She heard Kurzon leave the room and heard Conan's familiar heavy footsteps. He sat on the bed next to her and leaned down, his hair brushing against hers.

"Ana, this is a wood plank, open your mouth for me, " Conan said softly, brushing her lips with his thumb.

Ana opened her mouth and he gently placed a thin piece of wood between her teeth right before whoever was trying to heal her started to stich up her wound. Her hands latched onto his hand and squeezed for all her might. She felt Conan drop to the bed and groan in pain.

"Ana, breathe for me," he said stiffly, trying to flex his fingers.

Ana took in a deep breathe through her nose and her hold on his hand relaxed, but only slightly. He chuckled at her and she opened her eyes to pin a glare on him. He smiled down at her and rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. The stitching didn't take long, but it was indeed very painful, which left Ana drained of energy and very cranky. It was hard for her to move and she didn't like being this vulnerable and useless. Conan had stayed by her side while the men were out looking for the thief that Ana had injured and got away. Ana slept most of the time, leaving Conan to think hard on what this woman had done for him. She had protected him, and he hadn't been aware of her injury to care for her sooner. She was strong to hold out the entire night, and she was still strong enough to nearly crush his fingers. But when she was resting, she looked so fragile, as if she was made of spun glass. He sighed heavily and laid down on the bed next to her and just watched her. He felt his heart twist in his chest and couldn't accept the fact that he was falling for this fierce woman.

Ana woke in a bed, alone and in the dark. She took in a shallow breath and hissed in pain. The wound was leaving her drained of energy and unable to move. She listened to her surroundings and didn't hear anyone in the room with her. A sudden wave of pain made her gasp for air and grip the sheets beneath her so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"C-Conan?" she wheezed.

When no one answered, tears came to her eyes. She was alone and in pain. She wanted a hand to hold, or a good dose of pain killers.

"Conan!" she said a bit louder.

She could hear the faint laughter of the tavern below and felt tears slide past her lashes.

"Conan!" she screamed as another wave of pain assailed her.

She could hear someone running in the hall and whimpered when the door to the room flew open and Conan rushed inside. She tried in vain to raise her head, but just sobbed as more pain left her crippled and weak.

"Ana? What's wrong? I heard you scream my name," he asked frantically, coming to kneel next to the bed.

"It…hurts…" she whimpered, her tears falling like a dam had broken and she closed her eyes.

"I know, Ana, I know. What can I get you? Water? Food? Something hot?" Conan asked, gently brushing her hair out of her face.

"I…just…want a…hand to…hold," she whimpered, opening her eyes to give him the most desperate pleading look that anyone had ever seen.

Conan gave her a saddened expression and held out his hand for her to take. She weakly slid her hand into his and just cried. She didn't care that she was supposed to be tough, she didn't care that she was with the man she had come to like more than just a friend. She just cried and tried to forget the pain. Conan stayed with her for the remainder of the night, wiping away her tears and running his fingers through her hair to calm her. She had finally gotten back to sleep after several long hours of crying and gritting her teeth through the pain, and Conan had fallen for her even more. She had shown him her weak side, and he knew that it was something that she would never show anyone. She must trust him with her life in order to do so. Conan felt tears come to his own eyes at the thought of her going through so much pain and suffering just because she protected him. He was so undeserving of her and yet here she wanted to be by his side in her weakest state. Conan sighed heavily and leaned down, placing a tender kiss to her forehead and then pulling the covers over her limp and frail form.

Conan had returned to Ana's room once he had drunk enough ale to make a horse keel over. He had drowned himself in the golden liquid, wanting to forget the pained and sad expression on Ana's lovely face. He never wanted to see that expression again, and silently made a vow to keep her smiling, and to protect her. She had nearly given her life for his, and that deserved payment. He was now her slave, and he found that he actually didn't mind. Shuffling up the stairs, Conan left his men to strategize their sweep of the city. The thief had yet to show his ugly face and Conan was getting restless. He wanted to kill the bastard himself, but he couldn't do that if the man stayed missing. He entered her room and froze when he saw her standing by the window, using the frame for support. How she had gotten up was beyond his knowledge, but she must have been fed up with just lying there for three days.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he growled, coming to stand behind her.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her tear filled eyes, a look of fear in them. Conan froze at that look. There was something very wrong, and he hadn't been there again. At this rate, his vow would be invalid and useless.

"What's wrong Ana? Tell me this instant!" Conan snapped, gently taking her shoulders in his hands and turning her to face him.

"I know who it was," she whispered, her eyes filling with more fear.


	2. Chapter 2

Conan felt dread all the way to his bones, she knew who it was that did this to her and she was afraid. She turned away from him and held her arms carefully around her rib cage. She just stared out the window and her tears slid down her cheeks in silence. Conan gently pulled her back against him and she suddenly turned in his arms and buried her face in his chest.

"Why would he do that? He was so nice to me!" she wailed, clutching him closely.

Conan held her carefully, not knowing what to do next. He was never good at comforting women. He cleared his throat and Ana lurched away from him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Could you bring the guys in, I'd like to take care of this once and for all," she said stiffly, rearranging her clothes.

Conan merely nodded and went to do as she asked, trying to figure out what she was doing. She still hadn't told him who it was and that was bothering him. Conan reached the bottom of the stairs and looked over at his men's' table. They were busy pointing out the faults in alley ways and open market streets. Conan strode over and cleared his throat, squaring his shoulders and standing tall. His men looked up at him with questioning looks and he sighed.

"Ana wants all of you to see her in the room. I would like you to wait outside until I say you can come in for I need to speak with her privately first," he said, his stern scowl enough motivation to get the men off their chairs and standing in a group at the bottom of the stairs.

Conan went back up and entered the room, closing the door behind him. He watched as Ana came up to him with concern in her gentle eyes and he sighed again.

"Ana, will you tell me who it is, please?" he asked, worry furrowing his brow.

"You'll know him soon enough, Conan. Cause you're going to be the one to help me punish him," Ana growled, climbing back into bed and pulling the covers up to her bandaged waist. Her tunic was tied off to the side just under her breasts so that the bandage would not be irritated by the brushing of cloth.

Conan just sighed heavily again and fixed the pillows behind her back, making sure she was comfortable.

"Let them in," she stated quietly, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

Conan nodded and went to the door, ushering the men inside. They all lined up at the foot of the bed and waited for Conan to take a position next to Ana's bed. He crossed his arms over his wide chest and looked down at Ana for orders. The men seemed shocked that she was commanding Conan like he was her pet, but then again, she did save his life even though she had been upset with him.

"As you all know. Conan was attacked by a thief late into the night three days ago. But it was no thief, it was a rogue. And I know exactly who it is. When I call your name, please step forward and I will tell you what to do. Please follow my instructions carefully and all should go well," Ana said, folding her hands on her lap.

Conan's gaze went to the line of men and caught a glimpse of the rogue, Mija, fidget uncomfortably. He did have this air of being guilty surrounding him, but he couldn't just take his gut, Ana was the one who saw the attacker's face, she had all the power in her hands.

"Kurzon, please step forward,"

Kurzon took a step forward, his shoulders squared and his back straight.

"I need you to come and stand at this side of the bed please," she said, patting that space to her left.

Kurzon did her bidding with a small smile, patting her shoulder gently when he came to her side.

"Thebious, please step forward,"

Thebious stepped forward, his hands on his hips, and a huge smile plastered to his handsome face.

"I need you to sit here," she said, patting the place by her feet.

Thebious sat on the bed at her feet and his smile only grew bigger. She turned to Conan and reached for him. He leaned down, his scowl fierce and everyone could tell that he was not pleased. Ana whispered in his ear and he growled when she gently pulled him to sit behind her so that she was more comfortable. His arms wrapped around her and she shifted on the bed.

"Biton, please step forward,"

The smaller of the thieves stepped forward, his expressionless face staying the same.

"I need you to stand where Conan just was, please," she said, giving him the tiniest of smiles.

Biton gave her a curt nod and went to stand where she asked.

"Hasnon, please step forward,"

Hasnon, the last of the thieves stepped forward, his black eyes holding many questions.

"I need you to take a seat at the end of the bed for me please," she said.

Hasnon sat where she specified and Conan finally saw what she was doing. She was forming a shield out of the men, the faster towards the front, and the most trusted at her back. Conan's arms tightened around her protectively and Kurzon knew what was coming next for he took a step closer to Ana.

"Mija, please step forward,"

Mija took a step forward, his hands wringing themselves and his black eyes analyzing every opening and escape route.

"Men, this is the man who tried to kill Conan, and he attacked me," she said, reaching forward to still the men as they were about to get up.

"I do not wish to be unfair in this trial. Mija, do you admit to such acts?" she growled, her glare strong enough to make the others avoid her gaze.

"If you had been asleep I would have succeeded. Damn you, woman. I'll get you for this," Mija snarled, taking a step back.

Ana snapped her fingers and Hasnon was the first to reach him. The two fell to the floor and Hasnon had Mija pinned within seconds. The other men stayed by her side when Conan slid out from behind her, careful of her injury. Conan looked at Kurzon, and received a curt nod of approval. Conan gently pushed Hasnon out of the way and dragged Mija out of the room and down the back stairs and to the alley behind the tavern. Once Conan was gone, the men gathered around Ana and they praised her for her resourcefulness. She just thanked them all and asked them to sit on the bed with her and fill her in on everything that had happened while she was resting.

Conan returned to Ana once Mija was disposed of. He had entered the room and the men were telling her stories of their patrols of the streets and the funny mishaps that they had gotten themselves into and he heard her laugh for the first time in more than a week. Her smile was brighter, her energy renewed. She was something else, and Conan wanted to possess her and only her. No other woman would make his heart twist painfully, no other woman could stand against him and still fight when injured as seriously as she had been. The men paused when they noticed that Conan had entered, but continued when he took a seat behind Ana. He remained quiet, lost in his thoughts.

He didn't notice the men leave, giving Ana and him the privacy that she wanted. She was in Conan's debt again. He was staring blankly at the bed sheets when he felt Ana reach up over her shoulder and stroke his cheeks with her hands. He sighed in content and turned his head so that he was nuzzling her hair. She giggled softly and carefully turned around in his arms so that she could face him.

"Thank you, Conan, for helping me. I am in your debt," she whispered, leaning against him.

"No, it is I who is in your debt. You saved my life, I am yours to command until the debt is repaid," he whispered, gently crushing her to his front.

Ana giggled again and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is that so? Well, first off, I need a kiss from the man who owes me," she whispered, her gentle eyes sparing with desire.

Conan grinned and molded his mouth to hers in a hungry kiss. She tasted like the sweet fruit she had been given early in the morning, and her lips were so soft against his. He pulled back and just looked at her. He enjoyed her smile and the sparkle in her bright eyes. She slowly climbed out of his embrace and laid down on her good side and then looked at Conan with a small smile. He smiled back and laid down behind her and pulled her close. They both needed rest and Conan was more than willing to close his eyes for a few hours and hold the woman he knew was his.


End file.
